


and I wanna live not just survive

by idrilhadhafang



Series: Sequel Trilogy Missing Scenes [1]
Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Afterlife, BAMF Luke Skywalker, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Fix-It of Sorts, Force Healing, Luke Skywalker Needs A Hug, Missing Scene, Movie: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Other, Past Mind Control, Reconciliation, Redeemed Ben Solo, Resurrection, Temporary Character Death, internalized victim-blaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-20
Updated: 2020-09-20
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:14:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26553427
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/idrilhadhafang/pseuds/idrilhadhafang
Summary: Luke saves Ben.
Relationships: Luke Skywalker & Ben Solo
Series: Sequel Trilogy Missing Scenes [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1931056
Kudos: 10
Collections: Allbingo





	and I wanna live not just survive

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Hello Again: Resurrection
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing. 
> 
> Author’s Notes: Warning for internalized victim-blaming on Luke’s part. Also, title comes from “Angel With A Shotgun” by the Cab and while I toyed with this idea in other stories, I thought of making it part of my headcanons officially, as a TROS missing scene.

Ben didn’t expect to wake up in a simulation of Chandrila’s beaches, or to see the ghostly form of his uncle there, but he supposed it was expected.   
  
“I’m surprised you didn’t haunt me earlier,” he said, wryly.   
  
“I know.” Luke sighed. “There’s a lot I regret. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.”  
  
“How was it supposed to be?”  
  
Silence.   
  
“Why did you just...give up on me?” Ben couldn’t help but ask that, at least in that moment. He had to know, at least, why he simply wasn’t worth it to Luke. To his own uncle. Why his uncle apparently gave more of a damn about Darth Vader than Ben himself.   
  
Luke’s voice was soft. “I didn’t.”  
  
“Bantha shit,” Ben said, and for a moment, he swore he was back on the battlefield at Crait, an angry, confused dictator-to-be who was still angry at his uncle. Who had hurt Poe (albeit, being forced to as well) in the name of his own anger and hatred for his uncle, and underneath it, being hurt. “You...you gave up. Sn — Palpatine said you gave up on me! It’s a recurring theme, isn’t it; Mom giving up on me, you giving up on me, even _Poe_ giving up on me..." Ben paused. “What is so awful about me, in comparison to Grandfather, that you just gave up...?”  
  
“I changed my mind!” Luke sounded frustrated even as he spoke.   
  
“You mean...”  
  
“At your bedside. I — I was...it was like coming out of a trance. Out of a nightmare.”  
  
Ben could swear his uncle disarmed him in two sentences. “Why didn’t you just tell me at Crait?” Realizing his uncle was under mind control...  
  
Luke continued. “I was ashamed. Too ashamed to admit it. Do you realize how...demoralizing it would have been to the Resistance, knowing that their icon _let himself_ be mind raped...?”  
  
“You didn’t let yourself be mind raped,” Ben said. “You didn’t deserve it.” A beat. “I suppose, in one way, you’re like me."  
  
“Maybe.” Luke sighed. “Guess it takes a weakling to make a traitor...”  
  
“Uncle, don’t,” Ben pleaded. “You’re not that way at all. I mean, you resisted. You won against him. And you stood to protect the rest of the Resistance, and you tried to save me. You're stronger than you think you are.”  
  
Luke didn’t seem that he believed it.   
  
“We’re Skywalkers. All of us. Even if we’re all dead...at least we went out on a high note.”  
  
“I don’t think our story is over yet, Ben.”  
  
“I know Rey’s planning to take on the Skywalker name,” Ben said. “I mean, she's technically a Skywalker.” A beat. “Stars, kissing my cousin probably wasn’t a high note to go out on...”  
  
“No, you fool,” Luke said, “I’m planning to defy the Force itself. Turning your own trick you used on Rey back on you.”  
  
Ben’s eyes widened. “Uncle,” he said, “I don’t deserve — ”  
  
Luke spoke. “Your mother and I intended for you to live,” he said. “To go home. To be happy. Dying at thirty on Exegol...it would be easy, selfish, to let you stay with us. But a Jedi’s life, and death, is sacrifice.”  
  
“Can Force Ghosts do that?” Ben said.   
  
Luke smiled, a bit knowingly. “Well,” he said, “Yoda was able to set the Force tree on fire. And he’s a ghost. I can only assume that this would barely raise an eyebrow.”  
  
A beat.   
  
“Ben. I’ve done so many...stupid things in my older years,” Luke said. “In my youth, I was certain, but in my older age and my afterlife, I am lost. I want a chance to make things right. To do something that matters, not based on hiding the truth.”  
  
“How do you know that this is the right thing?”  
  
“I just want a chance to make things right. And...to give you a chance too.”  
  
Ben could get behind that, at least. A chance to give back to the galaxy...he could do that.   
  
He nodded.   
  
Luke rested his hand on his cheek, reminding Ben almost of his father, by the waters of Kef Bir.   
  
“Uncle,” he began. “I’m sorry...”  
  
Luke nodded. “Go, Ben. Live your life. Right your wrongs. And make our sacrifices matter...”  
  
Ben woke, naked and cold, on Exegol just then, and once he found a spare robe from one of the dead Sith cultists (he didn’t like the idea of taking clothes off a corpse, but still), he headed towards one of the Sith ships. He knew the First Order’s remnants were still out there.   
  
He just needed to make things right, before they brought the screams of the oppressed once more to the galaxy.


End file.
